The Royal Guards stationed before the stage, ensuring no one dared interfere, offered explanations, but only because the Alpha King had ordered them to.
"She is the newly acknowledged daughter of Prince Dimitri Rosenthal," one of the royal guard announced, his voice ringing out for all to hear. "Yet she once conspired to kill the Royal Princess in order to seduce the Princess's fated mate, Alpha Zion Greyhound…"
A wave of shock rippled through the crowd, gasps echoing in unison. Then, breaking the silence, a small boy snatched up a stone and hurled it at Claire.
"Bad woman!" he shouted.
It was as if a switch had been flipped. Suddenly, voices rose in anger, and the air filled with curses and stones pelting toward the stage. Claire now suffered not only the savage lash of the whip but also the sting of rocks striking her bruised body.
